Argentina

90% Roman Catholic but many do not actively practice. 2% are Jewish, but it is the largest percentage in SA and 5th largest in the world

Terrain

· Argentina is a plain rising from the Atlantic Ocean to the border with Chili and the towering Andes peaks. Aconcagua is the highest peak in the world outside of Asia at 22834 feet. Argentina stretches 4000 km from its subtropical north to the sub-Antarctic south.

· The Perito Moreno Glacier is a very important tourist attraction.

Sports

Football (aka soccer) is the national sport and they have won the World Cup several times. All sports including surfing are popular here.

Animals

Because of the different climates, there are a huge variety of animals from mammals, amphibians, birds, fish, and insects to reptiles.

Facts of Interest

Argentina has immigrants from many parts of the world especially Spain and Italy. It was first explored in 1516 and came under Spanish colonial rule; it declared its independence in 1816. The Argentinian people have struggled with military dictatorships, lost war over the Falkland Islands, and suffered multiple severe economic difficulties.

The people are culturally and emotionally more European than Latin American. The family is the center of Argentine life with extended families having prominence.

The country is rich in resources with a well-educated work force. The south is the rolling, fertile Pampas, which are rich in agriculture and sheep and cattle-grazing. Their largest exports are soybeans, sunflower seeds, lemons, peanuts, grapes and wheat.

Argentina just had an election. The new President’s name is Mauricio Macri, the former mayor of Buenos Aires. The election focused on the economy and the results are considered a rejection of the Peronistas who have ruled for a long time.

Concerns

The economy remains a serious concern and they are still recovering from a military dictatorship and the many factions that exist within that vast country.

Mission

The University Institute ISEDET is a multi-denominational seminary in Buenos Aires and is one of the most important Spanish speaking theological institutions in the world.